Arctic claims summit gets under way in Moscow



Division of North Pole



     Russia, Norway, Canada , Denmark and the United States are all trying to claim the territory of the North Pole because it is believed that a quarter of the world's resources of oil and gas are hidden in the depths. Due to the melting of the ice caps, the resources are slowly becoming more accessible. Three years ago, Russia had planted a titanium flag at the bottom of the North Pole as a gesture of their ambitions. However, to declare the claim of the land official there must be evidence that the North Pole lies within the country border. As of now, the North Pole is being spilt into shared parts.The resources are located beneath the Lomonosov Ridge. Some countries have agreed to cancel border restrictions to claim a larger amount of the North Pole. However, for countries in the territorial disputes, they will have to prove that the Lomonosov Ridge is an underwater extension of their continental shelf. Under the UN's law of the sea, a coastal region may claim economic resources 200 miles beyond their land territory and if it exceeds the limit, the country must provide the UN with evidence as to why they deserve the land.

     The melting of the polar ice caps can be devasting news to the world as more oil and gas equals more polution. If the North Pole really does hold a quarter of the world's resource of oil and gas, then the world will truely be in danger if the oil and gas usage are not controlled. However, as always, the environmental issues will not be considered before the economical issues; because money and power is more important than a healthy earth as many world leaders would view. The environment problems would only be considered after the resources have been used up and when it becomes a huge problem. The North Pole should be a resource accessible by everyone; however, not for business and marketing purposes but for emergencies.